published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 10/10/2013 - 1:25pm
Wild Edibles Foraging Workshop
We are fortunate in the Appalachian Mountain Club chapters to be able to apply for funds for Special Projects like trail work and conservation-oriented events. We recently received funds for a conservation workshop like this, foraging for wild edibles in the heart of the Hilltowns.
published by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 07/31/2013 - 1:46pm
This summer, individuals from UMass, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Nature Conservancy are collaborating on the Outsmart Invasive Species Project in an effort to stop the spread of non-native plants and insects that jeopardize the health of our environment. The Outsmart team, partnering with the Nature Conservancy's Don't Move Firewood program, will be visiting a number of music festivals, farmers' markets, and other events throughout the summer to conduct in-person training in invasive species identification.
published by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/20/2013 - 2:44pm
Conservation leaders from the Appalachian Mountain Club Berkshire Chapter and Westfield Transition Towns are presenting the Work of 1000 Civic Engagement Program at the Westfield Athenaeum on Wednesday, March 27th at 6:30 PM.
This program, a 30-minute film complemented by a personal discussion with the film’s central figure, citizen activist Marion Stoddart - provides a gripping profile of an ordinary citizen who realized her power to make a difference. The film, The Work of 1000, shares Marion’s exhilarating story of her work to clean up the Nashua River, once one of the most polluted rivers in America.
Our communities are facing real challenges. Economic uncertainty, global climate change, and other critical social issues are literally right at our doorstep. And now, more than ever, we need stories of hope, grit, empowerment and change. We need an inspirational model that engages people to make a difference in the world.
In an effort to increase its air quality database and educate its members about air quality concerns, AMC launched its Visibility Volunteer (VizVol) program in 2003. The program, part of AMC's "citizen scientist" Mountain Watch program, is designed to collect ozone and haze data from the peaks that AMC members frequent. Participants record ozone levels using a simple, credit card-sized device, and document visibility using a digital camera. AMC researchers will combine these measurements with weather data to track air quality trends in the Appalachian region.
In an effort to address the effect of greenhouse gases on global climate change, nine northeast and mid-Atlantic states are developing a regional strategy to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants, called the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA), with research help from The Nature Conservancy, is proposing to designate eight large tracts of state-owned lands, totaling 52,000 acres, as ecological reserves. The reserves are part of a larger effort to achieve "green certification" for the lands under the Forest Stewardship Council, which would require the state to 1) develop and implement sustainable forestry management plans for those places where logging is practiced and 2) create ecological reserves on state lands that are set aside from logging and managed for mature forest habitat. Existing recreational activities would continue on the reserves, but new motorized recreation and logging would not.
Leave No Trace™ (LNT) is a philosophy of backcountry recreation that stresses leaving the wilderness as untouched as possible by your visit. It’s also a program designed to assist outdoor enthusiasts understand and minimize their recreational impacts on the land.
AMC partners with Leave No Trace, Inc. to promote responsible outdoor recreation. Leave No Trace, Inc. has established the seven Leave No Trace Principles that serve as guidelines for those who enjoy outdoor recreation.
There are a number of conservation organizations that are active in Western Mass. Please check out the links to these great organizations, some of which are listed below:
